Parallel
by fandm-writer
Summary: The Barry Allen of Earth-2 wasn't exactly sure how he had expected his day to end, but this wasn't it. Then again, he wouldn't have been surprised to end his day in the morgue, so maybe this was better. Alternatively, when Barry finds an injured and dying Killer Frost, he makes a decision.
1. Parallel

**Parallel**

 _ **Noun**_

• A _person or thing that is_

 _similar or analogous to another._

● A _similarity or comparison_


	2. I'm No Doctor

**Hi! First off I'd like to give a shoutout to ArtemisSnowC! Thank you so much for all your help!**

 **Anyway, as you probably already know, this is an Earth 2 AU that will feature a kinda slow burn alternate Snowbarry. Among others things that I can't mention because spoilers. This story is set towards the end of Season 2 and onward.**

 **I've taken a few liberties with characterization and powers because the show never really expanded or explained much in that aspect. In this story, E2 Caitlin's powers are kinda like E1's with more of a 'Caitlin Frost' flair thrown in.**

 **Hope you guys like it! I'll try and keep updates fairly regular. I feel like this chapter is maybe a bit cringy but hopefully it will improve as I write. :)**

* * *

Barry's breaths were shallow and calm, the faint sound of knocks echoing off the metallic walls. He squinted his eyes, attempting to adjust to the dimly lit cavern. Briefly, he wondered how Zoom had managed to keep his sight given the lack of proper lighting and patchwork electricity.

Barry continued at a steady pace, gripping the syringe tightly. Two weeks ago, he never would've dreamed of doing something like this on his own. Two weeks ago, Barry would've been on the verge of a panic attack. His palms would've been sweaty and his heart would've been racing. But not today, today he was angry and maybe a little bit reckless. He was numb, not caring whether he lived or died. Because two weeks ago, he had lost everything. He should've known fleeing Central City wasn't going to work, there was no running from the fastest man alive. That, and Zoom had always been the type to hold a grudge. So naturally, when Barry and Iris had gone to live with his parents, the speedster had found them the next day.

He had killed all three right in front of Barry. His entire family, gone in a flash. He had left Barry alive, saying that he wasn't even worth the effort.

So here he was, standing in the middle of Zoom's lair with enough paralytic to kill a herd of Elephants. The breacher that helped him get there had acted like it was suicide, and they were probably right. But that was fine, Barry only had one intent anyway...one goal. Either he was going to kill Zoom, or he was going to die trying. Probably the latter.

Barry pushed his glasses up, cautiously stepping over the broken glass that littered the floor. As he came closer, the knocking grew persistently louder. Barry felt his heart rate quicken, adrenaline flooding his system. However, as he approached, he didn't hear the sound of Zoom's gravely voice. Nor did he hear his menacing laughs or see his cobalt lightening. Instead, it was something quieter, subtler. The sound of someone's labored breaths entered Barry's ears.

When he turned the corner, the first thing he saw was the blood. There was so much blood, a large pool of it was spread across the floor and the center was a girl. She laid motionless, a mop of auburn hair covering her features. At first Barry wasn't sure who it was, but it clicked when he saw her blue jacket.

"Frost," Barry called, his voice echoing slightly.

He made his way across the room and knelt beside her. Barry's stomach flopped when he felt the warm, crimson liquid beneath his knees.

A pained noise escaped Frost's lips as she turned her head to face him. She looked different then she had before, her hair was no longer white, nor were her eyes an icy blue. She was still pale though, but Barry suspected that was because of the blood loss.

"Caitlin..." she spoke up, her voice horse. "You're...you're Barry, right?"

"Yeah, it's me," he answered quietly, instinctively placing a hand on her arm.

"What happened?" His eyes drifted to the half-melted icicle imbedded in her abdomen.

"I'm not sure, it's all a little fuzzy," Caitlin whispered, grimacing.

"Zoom," she added simply.

He could piece it together easy enough. After all, she had stayed behind to buy them time. They had left, knowing her fate was sealed. But that had been weeks ago, and Barry couldn't help but wonder why he had kept her alive for so long. Briefly, the scientist reminded himself why he was there, but it was soon pushed to the back of his mind. He had to do something to help, irregardless of how much he wanted Zoom dead. Irregardless of the fact she had tried to kill him, or would try to kill him again. He needed to help, it was just his nature.

"Look I don't really have any medical training, but I'm gonna do what I can," Barry assured, his gaze meeting hers.

She nodded wordlessly, fatigue etched onto her features. Barry pulled off his jacket, hoping maybe he could make some kind of tourniquet.

"You need to take the icicle out," she stated, her voice strained.

Barry was somewhat taken aback.

"Look ma'am, I'm no doctor, but won't that just make you bleed out faster?" Barry countered. "Which is opposite of helpful."

"Usually yes," she answered, "but if we can get my adrenaline to spike, she...Killer Frost will _wake up_. She has...she heals quickly," Caitlin explained, her hands trembling violently.

Barry knew if he was going to do something, he needed to do it fast. She had already lost too much blood and her body was going into shock.

"I'll try and get as much control as I can, but if she tries to hurt you...just leave me. Run, Barry," Caitlin warned, hints of fear in her eyes. "I don't wanna hurt anyone else," she spoke, tapering off into a whisper.

Barry nodded, his perception of the icy-criminal shifting slightly. He then rolled up his sleeves and better positioned himself to grasp the the shard of ice. She tensed as soon as he touched it.

"This is going hurt," Barry informed, his tone bearing both a warning and an apology.

"I'm counting on it," she answered, a resignation in her words.

Caitlin steeled herself, gritting her blood-stained teeth. Barry prepared himself as well, attempting to calm the nausea in his stomach. Finally, he took a breath and began to pull. It was a grueling process, one that felt as if it stretched on for hours. Then, finally, he yanked the icicle free. Caitlin let out a strangled gasp, fingernails digging into her palm.

However, the tension drain from her body soon after. She exhaled shakily, her breath now a visible mist. Barry watched in amazement as frost wisped over the wound, healing it in a matter of seconds.

"It worked," she whispered, a chill to her voice. Then Caitlin's eyes began to glow and streaks of white raced across her otherwise dark hair.

Killer Frost sat straight up, a wild and fearful look on her features. Then her eyes landed on Barry and she softened a bit. Instead of Frost, Barry could've sworn he saw Caitlin. She got to her feet, only to stagger a few moments later. Frost gripped the wall and let out a ragged cough, spitting out blood soon after.

"I thought you said you'd heal?" Barry said, eyeing the crimson liquid with concern.

"Internal bleeding is a bit trickier, it takes longer," she replied, leaning heavily on the wall.

"We need to get you out of here before Zoom comes back," Barry picked up his tweed jacket, the syringe forgotten.

He rose to his full height and approached her as calmly as he could. She regarded him suspiciously, but allowed it nonetheless. He then looped her arm over his shoulders and braced his arm across her back. Frost was initially rigid but she caught on, shifting her weight to rest against him. Then together, the two began their trek to the entrance of Zoom's lair.

"Do you think you can make another ice bridge for us?" Barry questioned , turning his head to look at her.

She nodded tiredly, summoning as much ice as she could muster.

* * *

By the time the pair arrived at Barry's house, they were both exhausted. He had lost track of time, but he was pretty sure it had taken them hours. Then again, he wasn't really surprised. Not only had they had to carefully descend a spiral of ice, but they also had to hike out of a forest that Barry only vaguely remember the way through. So needless to say, it was well into the night when they finally arrived.

Barry was tired, but Frost the worse for the wear. She was still walking on her own, but just barely. The Forensic Scientist kicked the door closed behind them and attempted to angle her towards the couch. Frost helped him as much as she could, collapsing a soon as she hit the cushion. She was asleep almost instantly.

Barry plopped down in a seat adjacent to the couch, his muscles sore and aching. At that moment, he was kinda wishing he hadn't failed PE.

Barry sighed and took of his glasses, scrubbing a hand across his face. He wasn't sure how had expected his day to end, but this wasn't it. Then again, he wouldn't have been surprised to end his day in the morgue, so maybe this was better. A part of Barry reminded him that he still might if Killer Frost suddenly decided to off him, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to legitimately worry about it. He knew he should probably still be afraid of her, but he just...wasn't.

Eventually, Barry regarded his tattered and bloody appearance. He had a mental debate about whether he should get cleaned up or sleep. Sleep won in the end.

So Barry extracted himself from the seat and draped a blanket over Frost. Honestly, he wasn't sure how much difference it would make, seeing as she was literally cold by nature. But still, it felt wrong not to. Barry flicked off the lights before beginning his accent up the stairs. After that, he made his way to bed, drifted away as soon as his head hit the pillow.

When Barry awoke the next morning, Frost was gone.


	3. To Turn A New Leaf

**Chapter 2 here we go! It's not super long, but it's longer than the last one. A bit of characterization, bonding, and setting up some plot. Hope you guys enjoy. :D**

* * *

Her steps echoed softly as she walked, cold radiating off of her. The golden glow of lamps illuminated the empty streets, casting shadows all along the pavement. It was long past city curfew now and only the distant wail of sirens could be heard.

Killer Frost knew she shouldn't feel the way she did. After all, she was alive and free, with a good night's sleep and a clean bill of health. Normally, if Ronnie had been around they would've celebrated, maybe caused a little chaos.

Now the mere thought made Frost feel a bit ashamed. She hated it. She didn't want to _care_ , she didn't want to _feel_. But something had been awakened within her, something she had tried so hard to snuff out. It was the softer side of her, the one that didn't mind the name Caitlin. The one that had wanted to help people, once upon a time. Try as she might, she couldn't get that side of her in check.

Frost continued her solitary walk for several more minutes, lost in thought. Her eyes stayed fixed on the ground and her arms wrapped loosely around herself. For the first time in a long time, she didn't know what to do. She didn't know what she wanted. Frost was soon torn from her thoughts by the shrill sound of a yell. She perked up at that, her senses going into high alert.

She quickly realized it wasn't a threat, it was a cry for help, a plea for mercy. One that was rewarded by a loud smack and a warning to be quiet. The icy meta-human doubled back a ways, peering into a dark ally across the street.

There was someone standing above a fallen woman, demanding the contents of her purse. It was a simple mugging, an incredibly common occurrence in Central City. She had seen it happen a hundred times. A part of Frost wanted to brush it off, it wasn't her problem. The world had never cared about her or the tragedies it had sent her way, so why should she care about a basic robbery? Besides, she had already spared Allen's life, she told herself that was enough good deeds for one day.

However, in the end it wasn't that easy. There was another part of her that screamed in protest. A part of her that didn't want to be a killer anymore, a part of her that knew she could do something to help.

Then the mugger pulled a gun, deciding his victim wasn't worth the trouble anymore. Frost felt an uncharacteristic amount of panic and anger as he leveled the barrel with the woman's head. She stood there a few instants longer, a war raging within her. The woman shrunk further in on herself, bracing for the inevitable. Mere seconds later, the sound of a gunshot resonated through the empty streets.

The woman opened her eyes slowly, the bullet imbedded in the wall just inches from her head. Frost grasped the barrel firmly, white eyes boring into the criminal's. The metal of the gun creaked and groaned as her ice spread through it. The mugger let go and backed away, eyes alit with fear. Frost slammed the gun against the alley wall, the metal shattering on impact. She then let out a burst of frost and sent him tumbling back several feet.

Briefly, she thought to form a icicle and finish him, but the urge flickered away as soon as it came. She was tired of it all, tired of loosing her rage and sadness on the world and everyone in it. Instead, Frost slowly picked up the purse and handed it back to its rightful owner. The woman regarded her with fear and apprehension, but took the purse nonetheless. She got to her feet and mumbled a shaky "thank you."

Frost nodded wordlessly, weary of the new feelings surfacing within her. The woman made her way across the street and soon disappeared into one of the houses. The meta-human leaned against the alley wall, contemplating what had transpired. It felt...different to help instead of hurt.

Whether she would admit it or not, it was at that moment both sides of her decided that she wanted to turn a new leaf. She wanted to change.

* * *

Barry sat on the edge of his bed, pajama clad and groggy. He rested his face in his palms, trying to ignore the hollow feeling in his chest. The scientist had called in sick that day and had slept for most of it.

It hadn't been until earlier, that reality had finally sunk in. That Barry had fully processed all that had happened...what he had tried to do. Then his anger gave way to realization. He had lost everything, he had lost his parents, he had lost Iris. Now she was gone, buried a in plot next to Joseph.

For the first time in Barry Allen's life, he had no one. Nothing. That was when something had snapped, a dam broke. He had cried, cried until he couldn't breathe and his eyes were sore and bloodshot. After that he had passed out once more, exhausted. Which brought him to where he was now. Well rested, yet still tired. Okay, but at the same time...not. He suspected he would be that way for a very long time.

He was still angry at Zoom, furious. He didn't know if he still wanted to take his life, but he knew he did want him stopped. Barry wanted to ensure that what happened to him never happened to anybody else ever again. But he had no idea how he was going to do that, after all he was just Barry Allen. The Flash hadn't even been able to stop Zoom, so what could he do?

Barry sighed and swallowed thickly, realizing just how dry his throat was. He rose to his feet slowly and stretched his sore muscles. Barry grabbed his glasses off the night stand, taking a moment to clean them with his shirt. He then made his way out of the room and began his descent down the stairs. The house was deathly quiet, the only sounds being the boards creaking beneath his feet. He hated it.

Barry put on is glasses, the world coming into focus. The living room was almost completely dark, except for the light that came from the street lamp outside. Shards sliced through the window blinds and scattered across the carpet, giving Barry just enough illumination to find his way.

He inhaled deeply, his shoulders heavier then they should be. Barry continued on, moving into the kitchen. He opened the fridge, the bulb casting a glow on the otherwise dark room. That was when he saw it, a flash of white in his field of vision. Barry whirled around, nearly falling in the process.

Killer Frost sat on the other side of the kitchen island, regarding him with an amused smirk.

"You know there's such a thing as a doorbell," Barry blurted, his heart pounding and his hands resting on his knees.

"But it's so much more fun to watch you trip over yourself," she teased cooly, tilting her head to the side.

Barry only rolled his eyes. He straighten to his full height, his nerves beginning to calm.

"What do you want," he questioned, wincing a little at his tone.

He supposed he probably should be nicer, she had saved his life and the life of his double. Not only that, she could give him hypothermia before he could even blink.

However, she took it in stride and continued.

"I'm here because I...because _she_ wanted to see you," Frost stated calmly.

After that she closed her eyes, her cold exterior seemingly melting away. When she reopened the, Barry was met by a pair of soft brown irises.

"Hey," she greeted, her voice drifting through the quiet room.

"H..hey," Barry echoed, still standing in front of the open fridge. "Have you always been able to do that? Switch back and forth, I mean," he added, furrowing his brow.

"Not really, the last few years have been kind of a blur. I haven't really...been in control," she admitted. "Something's changing though, I'm starting to remember things," Caitlin spoke.

Barry nodded slowly, letting silence fall between them. It took him a few moments to think of something else to say.

"Would you like a drink," Barry offered, "or something?"

"Oh, I don't like alcohol," she declined, "Frost probably does, but it's never been my forte."

Barry let out a stared laugh, realizing it was the first one in a long time. "That's not what I meant. I don't think I've drank alcohol a day in my life," he corrected.

"I meant like water, or apple juice."

"Apple juice?" She inquired, quirking a judgmental eyebrow.

"I get low blood sugar..." Barry trailed off, unsure of why he felt the need to defend himself.

"Juice sounds nice, thank you," she replied, a relaxed smile tugging at her lips.

Barry nodded, pulling a bottle out of the fridge. He then got two glasses out of one of the cabinets and sat down across from her. Silence once again filled the room as Barry twisted off the cap and poured the liquid. It was at that moment that Barry realized how strange his life had become. Here he was at 1:00 AM, sharing a glass of apple juice with a known criminal meta-human.

"I wanted to thank you," Caitlin spoke up, breaking Barry from his thoughts. "You didn't have to help me, but you did. You saved my life."

"It was the right thing to do," Barry shrugged, turning his attention to his drink.

"Still," she added.

Caitlin paused for a few seconds before continuing. "Why were you there," she inquired carefully, keeping her tone even.

Barry felt his shoulders slump, grief once again washing over him. Several beats passed before he replied.

"Do you remember Iris, my wife?" Barry spoke, his voice breaking slightly.

Caitlin nodded.

He took a deep breath, racking a hand through his hair before continuing.

"After we saved my double, Iris and I left the city, we went to go live with my parents for a while. But Zoom found us anyway," Barry explained, tears blurring his vision. "He uh...he murdered them. All of them. That's why I was there, I was angry and I somehow thought I could kill him with a paralytic," Barry let out a humorless laugh.

"Oh," Caitlin whispered, a solemn look etched onto her features. "I'm so sorry, I didn't..." she said remorsefully.

"Its okay," Barry assured, "You didn't know."

Caitlin spoke up in attempts to comfort the almost-stranger. "I know it probably doesn't mean much coming from me, but I know what it's like to lose someone you love, and to lose family. I get what you're going through."

Barry was shocked at how kind she seemed in comparison to her counterpart.

"I'm sorry about your fiancé," he stated, realizing maybe they weren't so different.

He didn't know how much sympathy he actually felt for Deathstorm, but at the end of the day even villains had people that loved them. Barry wouldn't wish the kind of pain he was feeling on anybody.

"Zoom took something from both of us," was her only reply as she cast her gaze downward.

The pair sat quietly, the kitchen still dark around them.

"I just..." Caitlin began, choosing her words carefully, "I have one more question, then I promise you won't have to see me ever again."

Barry straighten, composing himself and wiping away his tears.

"How did you get inside Zoom's lair?"

"A breacher helped me," Barry explained, "he was just passing through and he needed information. I pointed him in the right direction and he breached me there. It was a one time deal, he said he was leaving for another Earth soon."

"Do you think there's any way he could still be here?" Caitlin asked hopefully.

Barry shook his head, "I doubt it."

Caitlin frowned, a contemplative look on her features.

"Why do you ask," Barry replied curiously, taking a sip of his juice.

Caitlin sighed and shifted in her seat, a strange look in her eyes. "You know before all this started, I was gonna be a doctor," she whispered, regret clouding her demeanor. "I was going to save lives and help people. Then after the Particle Accelerator, I changed. Ronnie changed, and we didn't care who we hurt."

"Look, I know nothing is ever going to make up for everything I've done. Or for what Ronnie did to your father-in-law," she stated, wearing a look of guilt.

"But I wanna try," Caitlin spoke with resolve.

"What do you mean?"

"The man in the iron mask," she informed, "he's still trapped in Zoom's lair. I want to get him out and I need a way inside."

"Can't you just build something like you did last time?" Barry offered, raising an eyebrow.

"No," Caitlin replied, biting her lip in concentration. "I've done it too many times, he'll be expecting it."

"But if I can get a breacher.."

"You can get in and get out without him even knowing," Barry finished her thought.

"Exactly."

She didn't speak for a beat, going over the problem in her mind.

"I'll help you," Barry eventually declared.

"No, absolutely not," Caitlin argued. "I can't ask you to do that."

"I want to," Barry countered. "Zoom took everything from me, and if there's anything I can do to save someone else from him, then I'm going to do it," he spoke with determination.

"No."

"I work with the CCPD," Barry pointed out, "I can't help you find who your looking for."

"I'm not going to be responsible for someone else's death."

"You won't."

"You don't know that."

"I can't just sit by, I have to do something. If I don't...I'm gonna lose my mind," Barry pleaded, leaning across the table. "Please."

Caitlin held his gaze, taking a moment to process his words.

"Fine," she finally relented, leaning back in her chair. "Let's find ourselves a breacher."

The smallest of smiles ghosted across Barry's lips. For the very first time since this whole mess started, he didn't feel helpless.


	4. Reports of My Death

**Here we go again! Yay! Big things happening in this chapter. It's a little lighter and more humorous but I assure you it won't last long mwhahaha.**

 **Also, just a fair warning. There will be some foreshadowing in this story. Like there isn't a ton in this chapter specifically, but there has been some in the previous chapters. So just a heads up. ;)**

* * *

Traffic flowed steadily across the nearby highway, the sound of beeping filling the air. The pair kept a steady pace beside each other, their breath nearly visible in the early autumn environment.

"And you're sure it's working?" Caitlin said quietly, leaning over to look down at the meta-watch on his wrist.

"Yes," Barry spoke, his tone defensive yet somehow calm.

Caitlin leaned back, putting her hands up slightly in surrender.

"Mostly," he added, less sure this time.

Caitlin almost wanted to give him a wry smile, but she fought the urge. Instead, she opted to wrap her jacket tighter around herself, a cold breeze sweeping over the area.

"We use them at the Department all the time," Barry explained, gaze shifting to her. "All I did was re-calibrate it. Any meta that has the power to open a breach is going to have a very specific energy signature."

"And it's clearly picked up something," he added, gesturing to the watch. "The faster it beeps, the stronger the signature, the closer we are."

Caitlin gave a small nod, inhaling deeply. They had been searching for a better part of the day, and had come up with nothing so far.

She turned her attention to their surroundings. They were going deeper into the city, housing developments were becoming sparse and giving way to a more industrial scenery. Briefly, Caitlin noted the sun had begun it's steady decent towards the horizon. The light was becoming golden and the shadows were getting long. In short, it was late. Curfew would take effect in a little over an hour, and neither of them wanted to be out after dark. Barry especially. Caitlin knew she would probably be alright, but she still didn't want to risk awakening her powers just yet.

As the two approached the cluster of buildings, the steady beat of the watch quickened. Barry looked up, eyes scouring the structures in front of him. He held out his wrist out, testing to see which direction the signal was strongest. He shared a look with Caitlin, his expression hopeful.

They kept walking, the beeping growing faster with every step. Their search eventually led them straight to a large, two-story motel. It was tucked away in a more secluded part of the area, easy to find, yet hard to really notice.

The signal soon reached its peak as they approached door 52 of the second level. The watch was now beeping at it's fastest, the screen displaying a confirmation that it had in fact detected a meta. Barry shut it off, wearing a small, triumphant smile. Caitlin couldn't help but mirror the gesture.

"Now what," she inquired, shifting on her feet. "I mean how do we convince whoever this is to help us break into the hideout of Central City's most feared serial killer?"

Barry's expression fell a bit. When she put it like that, it didn't seem like a very tempting offer.

"We start by knocking?" Barry shrugged sheepishly.

She gave him an incredulous look.

"Do you have a better idea?" Barry replied, a little exasperated.

Caitlin only sighed, reaching out to gently rap her knuckles against the door. Silence was their only answer.

Barry knocked once more, but louder this time. They began to hear shuffling from inside and the door opened soon after.

"Yes, finally. Where's my pizza..." the words died in the stranger's mouth as he realized there was no food in sight.

Caitlin's gaped in shock, a familiar face staring back her. The stranger looked confused for a beat, almost studying her features. It soon clicked and his eyes widened in horror and surprise.

"Reverb," she stated, her words half greeting and half exclamation.

Reverb simply stood there for several moments, looking like a deer caught in the headlights.

Finally he spoke, "Estás equivocado, mi nombre es Armando y soy del viejo país," his words were rushed and panic filled.

Caitlin had to resist the urge to roll her eyes.

"Yo no hablo ingles," he continued, attempting to shut the door in their faces.

Caitlin quickly stepped forward, jamming her foot in the way.

"No inglés!" he repeated loudly.

"You speak English just fine," she hissed through the door crack.

Reverb paused for a moment, taken aback. "Where'd you learn that?" He replied, narrowing his eyes.

"Ironically, I picked it up from you," she countered. "Now let us in."

"Like hell."

"We wanna talk," Barry pipped up, his voice calm. "Please, Cisco."

"How do you know my name?" He questioned, an edge to his words.

"I met your double from another Earth."

"Good for you, now go away," Cisco answered, once again trying to force the door closed.

"Can we just talk?" Caitlin spoke, equal parts exasperation and sincerity.

"No."

"It's important."

"Go away."

" _Please_."

Cisco met her gaze, a suspicious look on his features. "You're not gonna away until I let you in, are you?"

"No,"

He calculated it for several seconds before finally coming to a decision. With a sigh, he released the door, letting it swing open. Barry and Caitlin quickly stepped through, and Cisco closed the door behind them, locking it with an audible _click_.

Caitlin glanced around the motel room, it was...well lived in. There was a pile of clothes on the bed and a suit case tucked in the corner. Fast food containers were stacked up in the kitchen and the television played absently in the background. Caitlin even thought she spied his trademark glasses and gauntlets on the nightstand. She had to admit, it wasn't exactly how she imagined he spent his free time.

"Alright," a pajama clad Reverb turned to them, "let's get to it, I'm missing the end of The Wrath of Khan for this."

Caitlin turned to him, still having a hard time believing he was actually there. "You died," she stated, her voice nearly a whisper.

"Yeah, well, last I heard you were on the not-so-alive side yourself," Cisco nodded to her, plopping down on one of the seats. "You're looking less frosty these days too."

"It's kind of a long story."

Cisco only shrugged, picking up a half empty bag of Twizzlers.

"How are you here right now?" Caitlin questioned.

"What can I say," Cisco spoke with a small smirk, "reports of my death have been greatly..."

"Don't give me that, I saw Zoom stick his hand through you," Caitlin cut him off, her gaze sharp.

"You don't have to remind me," Cisco shot back squeamishly, his hand unconsciously drifting to his chest. "I was there too, it wasn't exactly fun."

"How did you survive that?" Barry inquired, furrowing his brow.

Reverb exhaled slowly, sitting up a little straighter in his chair. "Look, remember how I said I was watching my double from the other Earth," he began, directing his attention towards Caitlin.

She gave him a nod, crossing her arms.

"Well, in another timeline, the same thing happened to him," Cisco continued, shifting uncomfortably "and I figured I'd better take precautions since I worked for a guy who's made his name sticking vibrating hands through people's chests."

"Yeah, but how?" Barry inquired, genuine intrigue in his tone. "According to the files, your powers don't includ any type of healing factor."

"They don't," Cisco replied, thoughtfully and slowly, "but I _can_ manipulate vibrational frequencies."

"Meaning, if you could manipulate your own frequency to match the one Zoom was vibrating at," Barry supplied, it all beginning to click together.

"His hand would pass right through you without him even realizing." Caitlin finished, a contemplative look on her features.

"Yahtzee!" Cisco exclaimed excitedly.

On impulse Barry held up his hand for a high-five, and on impulse, Cisco returned it. Caitlin gave Barry a disbelieving and disapproving look.

"What?" He frowned.

"Do you have any idea who he is?" Caitlin pointed out.

"Oh course," Barry replied, "Reverb is pretty well known meta-human kingpin...oh yeah, I see what you mean."

There was a part of Caitlin that was almost happy he was alive. They had always had a very strange relationship, well, Reverb and Killer Frost anyway. There was a hostility, yet a familiarity. Something that almost could have been friendship...if they had lived different lives. But Caitlin knew she couldn't let herself forget who he was or what he had done...or would do.

"We can't trust him," she admitted, exhaling a heavy breath. "We have to find someone else."

"We don't have a lot of options," Barry pointed out. "We might have to."

"He was one of Zoom's Lieutenants," Caitlin stated. "He already tried to hurt your double."

"Excuse me?" Barry's eyes grew wide behind his glasses.

"His double was that speedster?"

"Yes, and you and Ronnie almost killed him," Caitlin chastised, her voice sharp.

"Hey, it was nothing personal," Reverb defended, putting his hands up. "I was just trying to upset Zoom."

"You wanted him to kill you?" Barry blurted, perplexed.

"Yes."

Even Caitlin had to admit she was puzzled.

"Look, I didn't ever want to be on the crime business, much less work for Zoom. And at that point the only way I was getting out was in a body bag," Cisco said slowly and quietly, rising to his feet. "I saw an opportunity and I wasn't going to waste it."

"Despite what you might think, I don't enjoy killing people," he added, his gaze flickering to Caitlin.

"You threatened to shatter my nervous system just for speaking to you," she stated, unconvinced.

"Oh please, I'm 5'6, and with a face like this, I have to do something to intimidate people." Cisco shot back.

He succeeded only in getting a confused look from Barry.

"Do you have any idea what the other Lieutenants would've done to me if they thought I was soft. If I was weak? If they thought I wasn't like them...even for just a moment?" He deflated, his voice barely audible, "I hated it."

"What about all that stuff you said to your double? About wanting to be a god?" Caitlin raised her eye brow, though her tone was softer.

"I was just messing with him," Cisco shrugged. "I mean seriously, how many chances am I ever gonna get to troll _myself_? Did you see the look on his face?" He cracked an amused smile. "Priceless."

Caitlin had to roll her eyes at that.

"The point is," Cisco began, veering back to the subject. "I never wanted that life, that was never my plan. But now I'm done. I'm out," Cisco spoke firmly.

After that he walked passed them and into the the kitchen, bare feet padding against the linoleum.

"Now can you please tell me why you're here so I can get back to watching my movies and eating my pizza," he turn back, pouring himself a glass of water. "Which is 15 minutes late," he mumbled under his breath.

"We need your help."

"No way," Cisco let out a small scoff. "I told you, I'm done. By this time tomorrow I'll be on another Earth. One without any speedsters," he added with a exaggerated shudder.

"Please, we just need you to open a breach," Barry pleaded, taking a step closer. "That's it, and then you don't ever have to see us again."

The meta struggled with it mentally for several moments, an entire gambit of moods flashing across his features in an instant.

"Fine," Cisco bit out, his demeanor settling on begrudging. "But there's one condition. I'll open a breach if you agree not to breathe a word about me being alive. Deal?"

"Deal," Caitlin echoed.

"Where to?" He asked, taking a swig of his water.

"Zoom's lair," Barry informed,

Cisco choked on his drink and nearly spewed it all over the floor.

" _Why_?" He exclaimed loudly as soon as his airways were clear. "Are you crazy? People don't come out of Zoom's lair alive."

"Actually, I've been there twice," Barry remarked with a raise of his hand.

"I'm pretty sure I was there for weeks," Caitlin supplied, grimacing.

"You two are insane," Cisco announced, pointing fingers at both of them. "Why would you want to go back?"

"Because there's someone still trapped in there," Caitlin answered quietly.

"So?"

"So we can't just leave him," she argued, her tone raising in pitch, "not if there's something we can do."

"Since when do you have a heart, Ice Queen?" Cisco blurted in disbelief.

The beat of silence that followed was deafening. Caitlin's jaw muscles tightened and a look of regret settled on Cisco's face. He wasn't used to dealing with this other side of her.

"Since I woke up in Zoom's lair, impaled with one of my own icicles," she grit out, stepping closer. "It really makes you think about your life choices."

"Look," Caitlin began, holding his gaze, "I haven't done a lot of good in my life. But now I have an opportunity to do the right thing, if only this once. And I'm going to do it, with or without you."

"Will you help us or not?" She made her final offer.

Cisco eventually broke their stare off, opting to slowly pace instead. He let out a deep breath, rubbing his hand over his face and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Alright," he decided. "But after this...I'm gone."

Caitlin and Barry both nodded in understanding. Cisco slowly walked across the room, picking up his gear.

"One last time," he whispered, the blue light in his glasses sparking to life.

Cisco squared his stance and raised his hand, preparing to open a breach.

"Should you maybe change out of your pajamas first?" Barry pointed out, gesturing to the Darth Vader themed sweatpants.

Cisco sighed audibly, letting his hand drop. "Yeah, probably."


	5. Accustomed To Pain

**Hello! I'm back! Sorry I'm a little late, I've been trying to post on the weekends but it hasn't really been working out for me. Anyway, big things happening in this chapter. More angst. Mwhahaha. (I feel like this chapter might be a little weak, but it's advances the plot.)**

 **Enjoy! :)**

* * *

For the third time in a matter of weeks, Barry Allen found himself standing in the cavernous lair of a madman. The first time it had been a rescue, the second time had turned into one. And the third time...you guessed it.

Barry walked soundlessly through the once-functional train station, eyes scanning the walls he was becoming far too acquainted with. The space was dirty and dark, the only source of light emanating from a few murky lamps, and the last embers of sunset that filtered through the windows near the ceiling. Barry swallowed thickly,

trying to ignore the dried bloodstain on the floor as he passed it. Trying to forget who it belonged to.

Almost unconsciously, his focus drifted to Caitlin. She was moving at a steady pace with Cisco, though there was an apprehension and a tightness to her step. Her eyes kept drifting to the corners of the room, and her head kept turning at the smallest clink of the chains that hung from the ceiling.

She was on edge, and Barry couldn't blame her. The place would've been enough to set off the calmest of people, even without the added weight of a near-death experience.

"Hey," Barry's voice was soft, breaking her reverie, "are you okay?"

Caitlin's eyes snapped to him, sharp and laced with anxiety. There were hints of white around the edges, providing a striking contrast to her otherwise brown irises.

"I'm alright," she answered, her gaze softening and the glow slowly draining from her eyes.

Barry nodded, giving her arm a light yet reassuring touch. The three of them kept moving, their footsteps quiet and their breaths shallow as they steadily made their way through the chamber of rock and steel.

"Let's hurry up and get this done," Cisco whispered firmly. "Zoom's more active at night."

"Well, we would've been here earlier, Caitlin replied, matching his tone. "but _somebody_ took forever putting on their eyeliner."

"It's for the aesthetic, Frost," Cisco defended, absently taking a moment to adjust his gauntlets.

"Caitlin," she corrected.

"Fine, Caitlin," he echoed.

"What happened to you anyway," he inquired, his demeanor calming just a bit. "Did you lose your powers or something?"

"No, they're just dormant," Caitlin answered as she stepped over a pile of shattered glass. "And I'd like to keep it that way, for a while at least," she admitted.

Cisco gave a small gesture of understanding.

"What's this guys deal? Any Powers?" Reverb asked, briefly leaning forward to peer around a corner.

" _This guy_ can hear you," Barry whispered sharply.

"Right, sorry," Cisco deadpanned, turning to him. "Any powers?"

Barry shook his head, "just someone who wants to help."

"Great, I'm flying solo here." Cisco mumbled under his breath. "Just try not to get yourself killed," he instructed.

Moments later, they rounded the corner, their objective coming into view. The man in the iron mask sat in his carbine cell, head leaned against the wall of the glass prison.

"You're up," Cisco informed, turning his attention to Caitlin. "You said you knew how to get him out."

Caitlin nodded silently, already beginning to gather up what she needed.

* * *

It was less than fifteen minutes later, that Caitlin and the others found themselves in a vacant room of S.T.A.R. Labs, all crowding around the rescued prisoner.

"You're doing it wrong," Caitlin stated quietly as she held her screw-driver in place. "You need a Phillips-head," she informed.

"Which one of us actually went to college for engineering?" Cisco challenged, beginning to get a little frustrated with the contraption.

"I did," she countered, her voice echoing in the near-empty room.

"Really," Barry glanced up at her curiously, as he dug through their patch-work toolbox.

"Yes, bio-engineering. And I was also briefly trained as a neurosurgeon," Caitlin added, turning back to Cisco.

"Meaning," the breacher questioned, unimpressed.

"Meaning, I know how to preform a lobotomy," she answered, the threat evident in her tone.

His eyes briefly widened in shock and horror.

"Well, _I_ went for mechanical-engineering," Cisco retorted, regaining his bearings. "I used to build stuff for a living. Have you ever worked with a tool in your life?" He added, immediately regretting it.

"I'm working with one right now," Caitlin muttered, a chill to her voice.

Cisco practically gasped in offense.

"Look," Barry interjected, attempting to play referee to the two meta-humans, "how about we just focus on getting the mask off. Then we can all go home, and nobody has to preform a lobotomy on anybody?"

"Alright?" he offered, taking a moment to hand Cisco a Phillips-head.

"Alright," both Caitlin and Cisco repeated.

They went back to working in relative silence, and Barry crouched down to pick up the scattered tools they had already attempted to use. The mask had proven to be a complex and difficult mechanism, one that was designed to make it nearly impossible for the wearer to get off without multiple sets of hands. Or, at least, two very fast ones.

"Ready," Cisco asked, getting his tool into position. Caitlin gave a confirmation, mirroring the placement.

On the count of three, they both pressed their screwdrivers downward, and into the designated metallic notches. Cisco quickly reached around, turning an additional lever on the back of the helmet. An audible click resonated through the air, and the bands on the helmet released. Caitlin slowly pulled the mask off, revealing the dirty and unkept face of a stranger.

"I don't know which is more annoying," the stranger spoke with more humor than one would expect, "being in that thing, or listening to you two arguing about it."

Caitlin felt a slight smile form on her lips. However, her smile disappeared as soon as she glanced at Barry. The look on his face was something she wouldn't forget. He looked so broken and so confused all at once, his gaze firmly fixed on the stranger.

"You're..." Barry whispered, rising to his full height.

"I'm Jay Garrick, the real Jay Garrick," he finished, his tone firm.

Barry stood motionless for several moments, as if he was trying to process what he had just heard. A thousand emotions flickered across his features, never settling on one for too long. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but quickly snapped it shut.

"What?" Jay asked, puzzled.

"It's...it's nothing," Barry spoke, his words tight and strained. "I'm sorry, I gotta...I'm sorry." He quickly walked across the room and stepped out, disappearing down the vacant halls.

Cisco looked at Caitlin and gestured his head in Barry's direction, his expressions bearing both curiosity and worry. She only shook her head, having no idea what was wrong herself.

"I know a place where you can get cleaned up," Cisco eventually said, ushering Jay to a door on the other side of the room.

Caitlin excused herself and set her sights on the exit. When she got there the halls were quiet and empty, the only sound being the soft echo of her own footsteps. It didn't take long for Barry's form to come into view. He was sitting on the floor, his back against the wall and his head in his hands.

The scientist's breaths were uneven and short, his glasses discarded on the floor next to him. Caitlin felt a sharp pang in her chest at the sight of him. She stood motionless for several moments, mentally weighing her options. Finally, she walked over to Barry and slowly sat down beside him. At first, no words passed between then.

They both sat there in silence, the floor awash with golden light from one of the nearby workshops. Eventually, Barry lifted his head and revealed his red-rimmed eyes.

"He looks just like my dad," he spoke, his voice raw with emotion.

The statement hung in the air for a beat or two.

"But I saw him die," Barry continued, more tears threatening to spill over his eyes. "Zoom killed him. I went to his and my Mom's funeral. I don't...I don't understand," Barry stammered, running a shaking hand through his disheveled hair.

Caitlin furrowed her brow slightly, attempting to put the pieces together.

"Zoom was earth-hopping," she reasoned, softly, "maybe he's a double?"

"But why?" Barry breathed out, a look of misery on his features. "Why take him, why keep him?"

Caitlin didn't have an answer. She had a few ideas, but she wasn't about to voice them. Barry once again placed his hands over his face, drawing in a breath that sounded more like a sob.

Caitlin reached out, gently placing a hand on Barry's shoulder. Admittedly, she wasn't very good at this type of thing, and it had been a while since she practiced her bedside manor. But she felt she owed him at least this. That, and Caitlin knew what he was feeling, she had felt it many times herself. She also knew that there was nothing that could be said or done to make it better.

"I thought...I thought I was okay," Barry whispered, his throat tight. "But seeing him...I'm not. I'm just not, and I don't know if I'm ever going to be."

Caitlin felt her heart clench and she moved to embrace him more fully. Barry squeezed his eyes shut and leaned in, his body heavy from exhaustion. Caitlin wasn't sure how it happened exactly, but somehow Barry ended up leaned all the way over, his head resting on her lap.

"I'm so angry," he continued, his voice raw and his shoulders slumped, "I'm just so angry and it hurts so bad."

"I know," Caitlin whispered. She was far too familiar with those feelings herself. "I know."

"And I know there's nothing I can say, and nothing I can do," she continued, a comforting hand on his arm and on his head. "But I can promise you this; it will get easier...eventually. It just takes time."

"How do you know that," Barry answered, his voice barely audible.

For a moment, Caitlin's mind flickered elsewhere. It flickered back to her brother, back to her father, and even back to Ronnie. She had become very accustomed to that kind of pain.

"Just trust me," she soothed, lightly combing a hand through his hair.

Barry exhaled heavily and closed his eyes, the tension draining from his muscles. He continued to lay there, and she let him. A calm silence settled over them as they remained, resting in the dimly lit hallway.

* * *

When Barry returned with Caitlin, he somehow felt worse and better all at once. His head was hurting, his eyes were puffy, and he was just plain tired. That persistent ache still resided in his chest, but it had eased somewhat. Like he had released it just a little, and cleared his mind.

The pair walked side by side, heading in the direction of the lab. Well, _lab_ was too generous a word, it was more like a large supply closet. Barry walked back inside, only to be met with an almost jarring sight.

Jay was clean shaven and dressed in red, a lightening bolt adorning his chest. He now stood next to Cisco, holding the metallic mask in his hands.

"You're the Flash," Caitlin stated, surprise evident in her tone.

"Yes," Jay replied, taken aback. "That's what they call me on my home world, anyway."

"You're from another Earth?" Barry spoke, keeping his voice steady.

Jay nodded. "I believe you'd call it...Earth 3?" he stated, unsure.

"Oh yeah, I know that one," Cisco chimed in. "Nice zeppelins," he added, earning an incredulous look from Jay.

"Wait, I don't understand," Caitlin continued, "your suit looks just like the Flash of this Earth."

"That was Zoom," Jay informed darkly, his demeanor shifting in an instant.

You could have heard a pin drop as the realization sunk in.

"He came to my Earth. We fought, I lost..." Jay stated, trailing off. "Then he put that damn power dampening mask on me," he added angrily, staring down at the contraption in his hand.

Suddenly, Jay's other hand began to vibrate. In one smooth motion, he cut the mask in half, watching it clatter to the floor.

"After that, he brought me here," the Flash continued, calmer this time. "He stole my suit and my identity."

"So Zoom was playing both the hero and the villain," Cisco blurted, smacking his hand against his forehead.

"He's not going to hurt you again," Barry promised, a finality to his words. "We're going to find him and we're going to stop him."

"We are?" Cisco blurted, having missed the memo.

Barry gave a gesture of affirmation. "I am, at least."

"No, no, no, no, no," the breacher contradicted, "that wasn't part of the deal. I did my end, I'm done. I already got a vibrating hand through my chest. Once is enough, thank you very much," Cisco declared, putting his hands in the air and stepping back.

"Very well," Jay replied calmly, "but I'm afraid I have to ask one more favor. Can you open another breach?"

"Sure," Cisco let out a small sigh, "you're home world?"

The speedster only shook his head. "Earth-1," was his simple reply.


	6. Death Doesn't Descriminate

**Just a heads up, this chapter is a lot longer than most of the others so far.**

 **Also I'd just like to say thank you to everyone for your reviews/comments. It means a lot to me, and feedback is much appreciated and welcome! :D**

* * *

"Earth-1," the words echoed around in Cisco's head for a moment, his mind trying to process what he had just heard.

"What, why?" He questioned, scrunching his nose.

"Because that's were Zoom is," Jay revealed, a growing urgency in his voice.

All eyes seemed to snap to the speedster, faces ranging from surprise to curiosity.

"I overheard Zoom talking to one of his Lieutenants," he explained, his tone low. "He's been taking hundreds of meta's from this Earth, and moving them to the other one."

Cisco suddenly felt his blood run cold, a pit forming in his stomach.

"Why would he do that?" Barry inquired, perplexed.

"He's after the Flash...the other Flash," Jay warned, "I'm not sure why, but he's taken special interest in him."

Cisco barely registered what exchanges followed, his focus having shifted elsewhere. He should've been watching, he should've been keeping a closer eye on the situation.

"Hey," a voice snapped Cisco back into reality.

"You alright?" Caitlin inquired, a worried look on her features.

"Yeah," Cisco nodded absently, "yeah, I'm fine...I just...I need to check on something."

Cisco quickly stepped away, grabbing his vibe-glasses as he went. He then made his way to the other side of the room, just out of earshot of the others. The breacher moved to put on his glasses, hesitating at the last second.

"Please, please, please," Cisco whispered shakily. "Please tell me he didn't," he prayed as he put on the goggles.

Cisco took a fortifying breath before immersing himself in the vibe. A billion different energy signatures flickered to life behind his eyes. A billion different universes and a billion different timelines. But he knew how to tune them all out and find what he was looking for. He focused on one energy signature in particular. One person, one name.

 _Dante._

The name reverberated through his mind as he began his search. He began to weave around and through billions of frequencies and energies, never stopping on one for too long. When Cisco didn't find what he was looking for, he broadened his field. He reached and reached until he passed the borders of dimensions, and after that he reached some more.

Eventually, he did find it, that glowing frequency he had come to know all too well. But it wasn't as it always had been. It wasn't bright and burning, like a destructive star. It was faint and weak, like ripples spreading through water, or impressions in the sand. That in itself was enough to set off alarms in Cisco's mind, a sense of dread and worry overtaking him. But he braced himself nonetheless, and tapped into the frequency, a thousand memories washing over him in a moment's time. Some he knew because he had lived then too, others were not his own.

He remembered their dilapidated apartment that could barely be considered a home, and he remembered their parents death. He remembered the stealing, the cons, and all the other less-than-honest things they had done to survive. To be able to go to bed with food in their stomachs, and later, a roof over their heads.

He remembered the day he left it all behind and went away to college. Dante continued his life of crime, even after Cisco returned and got a job. After that came the particle accelerator, and everything went to hell. Thus began the reign of Reverb and Rupture. Cisco skipped over that, it wasn't a part of his life he was proud of. Truthfully, he wasn't proud of most of it, but he had tried to get out. He had tried to make something of himself, but he had ended up getting pulled right back in.

Finally, Cisco found the period he was looking for; right after Reverb 'died.'

What he saw was shocking and upsetting and painful. He kept watching though, right until the very last moment the frequency flickered out of existence. Right up until Dante faced a death that had been far to similar to his own pseudo-ending.

Cisco came out of the vibe with a start, practically ripping off the glasses. His heart was hammering in his chest and his knees threatened to give out. He scrambled to find a surface to grip, only to knock over a tray full of instruments in the process. A chorus of worried voices and exclamations followed, but Cisco heard none of them.

Instead, he found the nearest wall and slid down it, burying his head in his hands. Cisco's breaths came out in ragged gasps, tears clouding his vision.

 _He was gone, his brother was gone_.

An ache radiated through his chest and tears began to spill from his eyes. He wasn't sure how long he stayed like that, but when he did finally become aware of his surroundings, he was met with the sight of several confused faces.

Caitlin and Barry had knelt in front of him, and Jay stood behind them worriedly. They were asking him questions, trying to reach him, but he was having a hard time focusing on it.

"I never..." Cisco choked out between gasps, "I never should've left...I should've stayed...I should've..." he broke off, the weight of the situation hitting him full force.

"Hey," Barry spoke, managing to sway his attention. "Hey, look at me."

"Breathe," Barry instructed, maintaining eye contact. "Just breathe."

Barry demonstrated, Caitlin even joining in as well. Cisco complied, inhaling and exhaling slowly until he managed to get it under some semblance of control. It took him several minutes, but eventually he calmed down enough to speak.

"What did you see?" Caitlin asked calmly.

"Dante," Cisco whispered unsteadily, trying wipe the tears from his cheeks. "Rupture," he corrected.

"Who..." Barry began, turning to Caitlin.

"His brother," she answered solemnly, realization dawning on her.

"Zoom," Cisco began, his tone bearing both sorrow and anger, "he...he told him my double killed me, then he took him to the other Earth."

"Then he..." Cisco partially covered his face with his hand, willing back the tears, "he went full Inigo Montoya. He went after the other me."

"Then Zoom killed him," Cisco finished, trying to keep his breathing steady. "Zoom killed Dante."

A heavy silence blanketed the room. Cisco simply fixed his eyes on a distant wall, attempting to ride out the tidal wave of emotions that slammed into him.

"He was all I had," the breacher whispered, his tone raw.

He didn't really know why he was still talking, he hardly knew these people and he probably shouldn't trust them. But somehow he couldn't bring himself not to trust them either.

"He wasn't always the best influence, but even when we had nothing, we had each other," Cisco admitted, the ache settling into his bones.

The looks on both Barry and Caitlin's face stood out to Cisco through the haze of it all. It was different from that of even Jay's, it wasn't pity or baseless sympathy. There was an understanding in their eyes, a genuine understanding. Maybe that was why they had all ended up in this situation. Why they had oddly fallen together, because they were facing the same things.

"Listen," Jay began, "I understand if you don't want to..."

"No," Cisco interrupted, a sharp determination in his tone. "You're going to Earth-1," he stated, pushing himself up and raising to his full height, "and I'm going with you."

Zoom had taken something from him...perhaps even from all of them. Now it was time for him to pay.

* * *

Caitlin furrowed her brow and bit her lip, concentrating on adjusting the small disk-shaped objects in her hands. The lab was quiet and still, the only audible sound being the soft rain tapping against the windows. Caitlin took a deep, anxiety filled breath, setting the objects down.

Ironically, she was more scared of herself than she was of the fact that she was about to travel to another universe. She knew she was going to have to fight, to use her powers...to change. Caitlin was dreading it. She didn't want to lose herself again, and she didn't want to be that person anymore.

Caitlin turned her attention back to her current task, once again checking and re-checking the devices as they prepared to set out for Earth-1. It had been a long time since she had been in a scientific environment of any kind. It was both refreshing and intimidating. The entirety of the lab itself was nearly empty, the only occupants being herself and the others. Apparently, it had yet to reopen after the building had been evacuated when Zoom had come searching for Harrison Wells.

Caitlin glanced over at Barry, more to check on him than anything. He was talking with Jay, going over the plan and exchanging information. Given the circumstances, she thought he was doing remarkably well at keeping it together. Though, there was still a hollowness to his eyes every time he looked at the speedster, a sadness. He was a reminder of all that he had lost.

"Alright, here we go," Cisco announced as he entered the room, having left some minutes prior.

They all broke off from their previous activities and gravitated towards the breacher. He had returned with a small stack of clothing in one hand and a rifle of sorts in the other.

"This is for you," he turned to Barry, holding up the weapon.

"What is it..." his tone was apprehensive as he awkwardly took it.

"It's a pulse rifle prototype, it lets out a high-energy blast," Cisco explained. "I figured you could use it."

"Keep it on stun and _don't_ shoot yourself, or any of us," he instructed firmly.

Barry nodded, attempting to get a feel for the weapon.

"What are those," Caitlin inquired, gesturing to the stack of sleeveless vests.

"These bad boys," he began, handing one to Barry, " are made of light-weight Kevlar. They're designed to protect the wearer from normal projectile weapons as well as a wide spectrum of meta abilities. The lab is developing them for the CCPD."

"How do you know so much about this place?" Barry asked curiously, examining his vest.

"I use to work here," Cisco admitted, growing quiet. "Before it turned the whole city into a garbage-fire."

Cisco then turned to Caitlin, offering her a vest.

"You know I heal quickly, right?" She reminded, taking it all the same.

"Still," he simply stated, "you won't have to heal at all if you just wear the vest."

"I didn't know you cared," she replied, almost jokingly.

"Yeah, you did," he simply answered, a strange sincerity in his eyes.

They shared a brief moment of understanding.

"What about you?" His attentions shifted to Jay.

"I heal quickly too. That, and I already have my own," he informed, tapping the front of his suit.

"Suit yourself," Cisco nodded, "Literally."

"How are the power-dampers coming?" Barry asked, turning to Caitlin.

"All done," she stated, walking over to her work area and gathering the stack of smooth metal circles. After that Caitlin began to hand them out, keeping several for herself as well.

"And you're sure they work?"

"They're based off of the tech from Zoom's mask," she replied calmly, "they'll work."

The next several minutes passed in relative silence as everyone got their respective gear in order.

"You ready to suit up?" Cisco questioned, putting on his gauntlets.

Barry joined them, his vest now on and his rifle over his shoulder.

"I am," Caitlin answered, though she suspected what he meant.

"No, I mean," Cisco made a vague gesture with his hand. "Can you wake up your powers?"

The moment she had been fearing had come.

"I think so," Caitlin spoke, a tightness in her throat and a tremble in her hands.

She had no doubt she could summon her abilities, there was already plenty of adrenaline and fear in her system. That wasn't the problem.

"Just...please just promise me something," Caitlin continued, her gaze shifting between Cisco and Barry.

The two of then both nodded, listening intently.

"Don't let me kill anybody," was her sincere request. "When I use my powers, when I change, I get lost sometimes. It's like I become a different person and I can't always stop it," Caitlin explained.

"I just don't wanna hurt any of you or anybody innocent," she admitted, an edge to her voice. "If I'm...if _she's_ not on your side, do whatever you have to do."

"Hey," Barry gave a concerned frown, placing his hand on her shoulder. "It's not going to come to that. You controlled it once before, you can do it again."

"Barry, I..." she began, only to be cut off.

"I believe in you," he spoke with conviction, holding her gaze. "You should too."

Caitlin nodded slowly, bringing her hand up to squeeze Barry's.

"You got this," Cisco gave an assurance as the two stepped back to give her a bit of space.

Caitlin drew in a deep breath, loosening her shoulders a bit. She was still afraid, terrified even. But there was something else there now, an inner strength she felt she could draw from. Because Caitlin Snow had never really had anyone who believed in her like that, anyone who had made her feel strong by simply being there. Her whole life, she had grown so accustomed to feeling small and unimportant. Perhaps that was why her powers made her so hard...so careless and arrogant. They were an armor, and a shield. But they were hers, and she mustn't forget that she alone could control the thickness.

So Caitlin closed her eyes, and welcomed her ice. She felt the chill wash over her, the power thrumming beneath her skin. She exhaled slowly, opening her eyes just in time to see her visible breath.

Barry and Cisco both wore a look of awe. Jay soon joined the group, a little surprised by the transformation as well.

She felt different now, like she was not herself. Perhaps she was right, but she found solace in the fact that she still had one hand on the wheel. She wasn't exactly Snow, but she wasn't exactly Frost either.

"Are you ready," Cisco glanced at her, preparing his glasses.

"Ready," she replied, her voice a duel-tone.

"Does everybody know the plan?" Jay confirmed, adjusting his suit.

"We take down as many meta's as we can, put dampers on them, then I breach them to the front steps of Iron Heights," Cisco listed off without missing a beat.

"Then we go after Zoom," he added darkly.

None of them were going to chastise him for it, it reflected their feelings quite well. Cisco held up his hand and his glasses flickered to life, a swirling portal appearing soon after. Jay went through first, followed by Barry, Cisco and Caitlin herself.

The moment she stepped through, the air around her shifted, and she was no longer inside. They stood on what appeared to be a deserted road. The air was cold and crisp, the sleek skyscrapers lighting up the night. The sound of traffic could be heard and sirens wailed in the distance.

Jay broke off from the group early on, using his speed to canvass the city. The remaining three walked the desolate streets for a long while, their surroundings deathly quiet. They walked for so long that they began to wonder if Cisco had breached them to the wrong Earth. However, they eventually came to an intersection and found exactly what they were looking for.

The streets were in chaos, smoke wafting from several burning structures. Blasts and explosions of all different colors painted the night like a canvas. Their were even a few winged meta-humans swooping over head from time to time.

Frost felt a new wave of ice flow through her palms, and a chill set into her veins. This was going to be fun.

* * *

Barry was running. His chest hurt and his leg muscles burned, but he kept a steady pace. He had never been very athletic, but it turns out being chased by an 8-foot-tall meta-human is a very good motivator. (Cisco had insisted on calling him Blockbuster.) He also happened to be incredibly strong, he could crumple whole dumpsters like they were soda cans. Needless to say, Barry was having some regrets at that moment.

The forensic scientist took a sharp corner, nearly tripping on a trashcan in the process. A deep and guttural voice roar behind him, only urging him to move faster. Blockbuster was close behind, leaving dents in the pavement every now and then. But Barry kept running despite the fact his legs felt like jelly and his heart was pounding in his chest. He ran until he felt he couldn't any longer.

Then finally, the signal came.

"Now!" A cold voice called, and Barry instinctively dove to the side.

Killer Frost stepped into the spot he had been moments prior, thrusting her hands down to the ground. A thick layer of ice spread across the pavement and coated everything in sight. The meta lost balance and slipped, slamming into the ice with a hollow thud. He slid down the naturally steep street, and into an awaiting breach. Caitlin cracked a small smile as the breach flickered out of existence. She then turned her attention to Barry, offering him a hand. He took it gratefully and got back on his feet.

"How many is that," she asked as Cisco emerged from the shadows.

"20? I don't know, I lost count," he admitted.

"We forgot to put a damper on him," Barry breathlessly pointed out, using his knees for support.

"Oh no, that guy went straight to his cell," Cisco informed, "Iron Heights had one built especially for him last year."

Barry nodded, retrieving his pulse-rifle from where he had stashed it.

"Now what?" Frost inquired.

"We keep moving," Reverb replied, "I think the fight's moved to the south side of town."

"I'll see if I can tap into some of the police scanners..." he added, but the words died in his mouth.

A strange sound had begun to resonate through the air. The noise grew louder and louder, morphing into a deafening screech. Barry covered his ears, his knees beginning to buckle. Caitlin and Cisco did the same, crying out in pain. Barry became disoriented and the world faded to a blur. The next thing he knew he was being dragged towards a breach, his consciousness quickly slipping away.

When Barry opened his eyes again, it was to a cloudy night sky. Rain fell steadily, splattering into small puddles around him. He looked over, finding Cisco and Caitlin on the ground as well, trying to get their bearings.

"What the hell was that," Frost muttered, moving to a sitting position.

"Frequencies," Cisco answered, pulling off his glasses, "it was a sound wave of some kind."

"Why?" Barry asked, a faint ringing still in his ears

"Every Earth has its own frequency and the people by default. Find the right frequency and you could incapacitate any being from this earth," Cisco explained, sitting up. "It's what I would do."

"What about Jay?" Caitlin questioned, the white beginning to melt from her hair.

"He's not from around here, he'll be fine," Cisco spoke over the loud patter of the rain. "I'll vibe him," he stated, slowly getting to his feet.

* * *

It was 30 minutes before they arrived back at S.T.A.R. Labs, rain soaked and tired. Together they trudged back into their supply-closet of a headquarters, leaving small puddles in their wake. The lab was still empty, the faint rumble of thunder in the background.

"Nice hat," Cisco commented, sparing Jay a glance.

The speedster now wore a metallic helmet, winged emblems adorning the sides.

"Ironically, it's a symbol of hope here," he added.

"So I'm told," Jay replied, absently reaching up to touch it, "I figured I could carry that on. And maybe take something from Zoom in the process."

"It suits you," Barry complemented, with an almost-smile.

"Thank you."

"What happened over there anyway?" Caitlin spoke up, ringing out her damp hair.

"Your doppelgängers," Jay answered, leaning against a nearby table, "They unleashed a sound wave and it knocked out everyone from this Earth."

"See, told you," Cisco chimed in, snapping his fingers.

"What about Zoom?" Barry inquired, setting down his rifle.

Jay paused for a moment, heaving a quiet sigh. "He escaped. He opened a breach, then he was gone."

"To where?" Cisco spoke, raising a curious eyebrow.

Jay only shrugged, "Beats me. But we need to find him."

Barry opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted.

" _Not if I find you first_ ," a gravelly voice cut him off.

Barry felt his stomach drop and goosebumps broke out across his skin. He whirled around and grabbed his pulse rifle, pointing it in the direction of the voice. Zoom was now standing across the room, his eyes as black as pitch. He held Caitlin from behind, claws wrapped tightly around her throat.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he threatened, pulling Caitlin a little closer to him.

The look of terror in her eyes was not something Barry would soon forget.

"Didn't I kill you two already?" Zoom asked, glancing between Cisco and Caitlin.

"It didn't take," Frost bit out, her eyes beginning to glow.

She reached up and harshly latched onto his arm, ice crackling as it spread through him. Zoom let out a yelled, but his grip remained firm.

"That's not going to work this time," he taunted, leaning a little over her shoulder. The speedsters arm began to vibrate, the ice melting away in an instant.

"Let's go for a walk, shall we," he stated, sharply tugging her towards him.

"Let her go," Jay's voice boomed as he stepped forward. "You're not the only one who's fast."

"Maybe not, but you're going to be awfully busy," Zoom informed, twirling a strand of Frost's hair around his finger.

It made Barry's skin crawl. Had he had a clear shot, he would've happily emptied the entire clip into the speedster's face.

"Their are over 16 bombs hidden somewhere in the city," Zoom explained. "Let's see how fast you _really_ are."

The blood drained from Jay's features.

"I'd start running if I were you," Zoom suggested, becoming nothing but a blur of blue electricity.

With that, he was gone, taking Caitlin with him. A growing sense of panic had began to surface within Barry.

"You go get the bombs," Cisco spoke up for the first time, his voice steady and commanding, "we'll get Caitlin."

Jay nodded, speeding away in a blink. Cisco took only a moment to hone his focus, vibing Zoom's location.

"The roof," he stated, an edge to his voice.

Cisco quickly opened a breach, the two practically running through it. The first thing Barry felt was the rain. It was still pouring, an echo of brontide resonating through the air. Zoom stood at the very edge of the building, already damp with rain. He held Caitlin by the throat, dangling her over the edge. She fought and kicked against his grip, but it was to no avail.

"Leave her alone," Cisco growled, fists clenching.

He moved forward to charge Zoom, but the speedster was too fast. He slammed into Cisco full force, sending the other meta reeling back. The breacher was violently knocked over and into one of the concrete ledges. He didn't get back up. Zoom was back at the edge of the roof before Barry could even register what happened.

"Your turn," he spoke, his coal black eyes landing on Barry

"Just let her go," Barry pleaded, "if you're gonna hurt anyone, hurt me."

"Oh I will," he replied darkly. "You three took something that belongs to me, and you're going to pay."

"Starting with her," he added, shaking Caitlin harshly.

"No," Barry yelled, his hand outstretched, as if he could will him to stop.

"You know, I went back to the other earth and broke the Flash," Zoom continued, his voice an unearthly bellow. "I thought I'd already broken you. You're more resilient than I gave you credit for."

"Let's see how you handle someone else dying because of you," he added loosening his grip on Caitlin.

"Don't!"

"Oops," Zoom chimed, letting go entirely.

Caitlin tried to grab onto him, but her hand passed right through. Then she was gone, plummeting to the street below.

"NO," Barry screamed, his voice holding as much fury as it did agony.

Zoom only laughed, thunder crackling in the background.


	7. Between The Sinners and The Saints

**Hi all! Sorry is been so long since I updated. Here we go!**

 **Also, just to clarify, in this story Caitlin's powers and origins are quite different from E1 Caitlin's. One because this is a parallel universe, and two because this story was written/planned quite a while before some of the recent developments.**

 **Anyway hope you guys enjoy. :D**

* * *

NO," A furious scream ripped through Barry's throat,

Zoom laughed, the sound deep and guttural.

On impulse, Barry raised his rifle and aimed it directly at Zoom's head. He clamped down on the trigger, fully intending to empty the entire clip. However, their was a flash of black and a gust of wind. Suddenly, the pulse rifle was no longer in his hands, but on the ground several feet away. Zoom just stood there, acting as if it were the most casual thing in the world.

"You son of bitch," Barry grit out.

"Son of soldier, actually." Zoom corrected. "Dad never really came back from the war."

"You killed her," he yelled, tears clouding his vision.

"Twice. actually," he only shrugged. "Let's hope it sticks this time."

Barry leveled his gaze with the speedsters, his fists involuntarily clenching. He eyed the discarded rifle, wondering if there any way he could get to it in time.

"It won't hurt me," Zoom stated, as if he could read Barry's mind. "But this will," he added, a smile in his voice.

Zoom pulled a small object from one of his pockets and tossed it across the roof. Barry reached out and snatched it from the air, nearly dropping it in the process. His eyes widened as he stared down at the familiar syringe.

"You forgot something, didn't you." the speedster chimed. "Clever, I'll admit. That much paralytic might actually kill me."

"What is this?" Barry demanded, an uneasiness to his tone.

"A free shot," Zoom replied, calmly.

Suddenly, Zoom was only inches way, his black eyes staring into Barry's. The scientist's arm was now outstretched, the needle pressed against his exposed throat. Barry jumped back a little at the sudden movement, but Zoom caught his arm, holding it in place.

"Go ahead, Barry," Zoom challenged, "Kill me."

Barry drew on a few unsteady breaths, thoughts racing through his mind. His gaze shifted to the speedsters neck, his grip tightening around the syringe. He wanted to, he wanted to so badly. He wanted nothing more that to stab the needle into him, to watch his body go rigid and the life drain from his eyes.

"KILL ME," Zoom screeched, but Barry barely registered it. He was too caught up in his own mind, his own internal battle.

A part of him just wanted to do, to end the demonic speedster's life. But another part of him screamed that this was wrong and that this was a trick of some kind. It didn't make any sense. However, Barry wasn't sure he care even if it was, Zoom had taken everything from him. _His wife, his family_...even Caitlin. He wanted him dead, he wanted to make him suffer like he had made Barry suffer.

He dug the needle deeper into Zoom's neck, leveling his gaze.

Then suddenly, a black clad fist thrust through Zoom's chest. Barry jumped back in shock, the syringe slipping from his grasp and shattering on the concrete roof. Zoom fell to the ground only to reveal, well...Zoom.

Barry looked down at the dead speedster, his body seeming to evaporate. Zoom let out a thunderous laugh.

"So close, Barry," Zoom taunted, "So close to becoming like me."

"I'm nothing like you," Barry shot back, a tremble in his words. "You're a monster."

"And you're a hairs breath from becoming one."

* * *

She was falling. Falling so fast it was dizzying. She wished the world was moving in slow motion, wished had more time to think, to try figure something out. But she didn't, this was it. Caitlin Snow was going to die, for real this time. Entire stories flew by in second, the wind whipping past her face. All the while her heart pounded relentlessly in her chest.

She found herself running through all her options, tried to gauge if there was anyway she could survive the fall. The prognosis wasn't good. Not even her healing factor could save her from this one. There was nothing she could do but fall. She was moving faster now, gaining momentum as she hurled towards concrete parking lot.

There was nothing to grab into, no one to save her this time...

Caitlin's thoughts were halted in a instant, an idea popping into her head. It certainly wasn't ideal, but it just might work. She turned her attention to ground below, and shakily reached out her hand. She let out a blast directly beneath her, creating a ramp of ice. Then Caitlin aimed herself as best she could and braced for impact. She hit the ice so hard that it took a breath away and a shockwave of pain spread through her.

The momentum sent Frost rolling the rest of the way down, before finally hitting the pavement. She rolled onto her back with a pained gasp, the concrete cold and wet beneath her. It had been a far cry from a soft landing, but she had survived. Caitlin let out a few shaky and almost, relieved breaths.

She stayed and gathered her strength for a few moments, eyes fixed on the angry clouds above. The rain had slowed a bit now, leaving small puddles and damp spots in its wake.

Then Caitlin saw a flash of blue lightening above, she knew she needed to get up. Barry was still up there. Alone.

She quickly got to her feet, ignoring the pain that flared in her knee. Briefly, Caitlin thought to run inside and get to the stairs, but the building had over 50 floors. She needed to be back on the roof 30 seconds ago. Then something surfaced from he dark recesses of her mind, something Killer Frost has always wanted to try.

"No," Caitlin muttered under her breath.

 _Yes._

No.

 _Do you want to get to Barry in time or not?_

"Fine," she whispered.

Caitlin took a fortifying breath before turning her attention skyward, gauging the distance between the ground and the roof. Then ice flared in her palms as she got into position. Frost let out two powerful blasts of ice, effectively propelling herself upward. Caitlin was a bit unsteady at first, but she soon fond her bearing. The wind blew her platinum hair back as she sped forward, clearing entire floors in matter of seconds. Caitlin couldn't help but smile, a feeling of exhilaration washing over her.

She soon make it to the top of the building, an odd sight there to greet her. Zoom stood above a fallen version of himself, his hand a blur of black leather. Barry was less than a foot away, a look of horror etched onto his features.

She knew she had the element of surprise and she wasted no time in utilizing it. Frost leapt from the remains of her ice bridge and slammed into the speedster with all her weight. Zoom fell back, caught off guard by the sudden impact. They tumbled across the concrete roof, Caitlin shifting her weight at the last moment. She landed on top of him, an icicle forming on her hand instinctively. Violently, Frost thrust it downward and rammed the shard through his chest. The speedster let out a pained howl, blood slowly beginning to ooze from the wound.

"That was for Ronnie," she spoke through gritted teeth.

Frost then grasped the icicle and twisted it, driving it in deeper like a screw.

"That was for me," she added.

Suddenly, there was a crackle of lightening and their positions where reversed. Zoom was now above her, hands firmly clamped around her neck. Caitlin gasped for air, simultaneously attempting to shove him off. She grabbed wrist and attempted to freeze them, but he paid it no never mind. Then all at once, it stopped. Something impacted the the speedster, sending him flying several feet through the air and smashing into a concrete ledge. Caitlin inhaled sharply, welcome of the air the flood her lungs.

Cisco was now back on his feet, blood dripping from his temple. "I said leave her alone," he hissed.

Zoom pushed himself onto his knees, an angry growl escaping his throat. "Just couldn't stay dead, could you!"

He was back in front of them in a blink, his hand now imbedded in Cisco's chest. The other meta-human only smirked, unaffected by the speedster's touch of death.

"What can I say. It's a talent," Reverb remarked.

Because of the mask, was no real way of knowing Zoom's expression, but Caitlin could've sworn his eyes held fear in them. Then Cisco's hand shot out and he flattened his palm against Zoom's chest. He released a bone shattering blast and was Zoom was sent reeling back. His knees gave way and he fell to the ground, gasping for air.

"That was for Dante," Cisco spoke on a low tone, moving to stand above him. "Try getting back up with a shattered nervous system."

And try he did. But the moment he got to his knees he was rewarded by a pulse of blue energy, directly to the face. Barry stood a few feet away, rifle in hand.

"That was for my family," were Barry's only words as he moved to stand next to Cisco and Caitlin.

At that moment there was a gust of wind and Jay slid to a stop several feet behind them. Barry glanced back at him, a questioning look in her eyes. He nodded on affirmation. Zoom drew in a few ragged gasps, his chest heaving violently. The three of them now stood above him, the speedster immobilized on the ground.

"Your done," Barry stated firmly, "it's over."

Zoom somehow mustered a laugh, grinning wickedly through his torn mask.

"You think you're heroes? You're not," he said condescendingly. "You're not and you never will be."

"That doesn't matter," Caitlin replied, "What matters is that you're never going to hurt anyone ever again."

"Come on, Frosty. You know you can't kill me. And there's no prison on this Earth that can hold me either," Zoom taunted.

"Maybe not," Jay spoke up, "but the people on this Earth aren't the only one's you've upset, are they? You've broken the rules of the Speed Force too many times, Zoom."

"There are consequences," he added, an edge to voice. "Ones that you can't run from anymore."

No sooner had he spoken did a swirling portal appeared in sky above them.

"Reverb, what the hell?" Caitlin questioned, gaze shifting skywards.

"That's not me," he replied, yelling over the loud wind that swept over the area.

Two gnarled creatures emerged from the portal, a thick grey spoke rolling off them as they moved. They circled the rooftop a few times, shrieking and honing in on their target.

"Get back," Jay ordered, a warning in his tone.

Barry was the first to react, springing forward and grabbed Cisco and Caitlin. He backed away quickly, tearing them both from the dreadful sight. Zoom was now back on his feet, a look pure terror marring his partially exposed features. "No," he yelled, his tone unsteady, "No!"

The creatures began to circle him, sparks of blue lightening snaking around him and slowly morphing to that of red. Zoom screamed as his flesh began to change, to age and decay. He screamed until his voice was noting more than an unearthly shriek and his body no longer resembled a human's.

After the transformation was complete, the two creatures grabbed him by the arms and hoisted him off the ground. They went back from whence they came, dragging the speedster along with him. Then the portal flickered out of existence, closing, as if it had never happened at all. The small group could only stand there for several moments, trying to process what they had just witnessed.

"W...what just happened," Cisco was the first to speak, "that was some Harry Potter looking crap right there."

"They were Time Wraiths," Jay answered. "They're agents of the Speed Force, they hunt down any speedster that breaks the rules. And Zoom broke a lot of them."

"What's the Speed Force?" Barry asked, briefly glancing at the spot that Zoom had been just moments prior.

"It's an energy of some kind, almost a place. It's where our power...our _speed_ comes from," he explained, absently watching as his hand began to vibrate.

"What's going to happen to Zoom now?" Caitlin inquired, the white in her hair slowly beginning to ebb away.

"No one knows," Jay replied lowly, "That's why speedsters are so afraid of the Wraiths."

"Oh yeah, that not creepy _at all_ ," Cisco mumbled.

Jay cracked a slight smile, before turning to address them all once more. "It's been a pleasure, but I'm afraid have to get back to my Earth now. I've already been gone too long."

Cisco nodded, raising his hand to open a breach.

"Thank you for all your help," Barry spoke earnestly, reaching forward to shake Jay's hand.

Caitlin could tell by his demeanor, by the look in his eyes, that Barry wanted to do more. He wanted to hug him, to say a proper goodbye and maybe tell him much he cared for him or missed him. But he couldn't, this was not his father, not his family. This was a man that had his face and maybe a bit of his personality...but not his memories.

Jay reached forward and shook Barry's, a surprisingly warm look on his elderly features. "No, thank _you_."

"Thank you all," he added, turning to Caitlin and Cisco as well. "Without you I'd probably still be rotting in that glass cell."

"It was the right thing to do," Cisco admitted, casting a knowing glance at Caitlin and Barry.

Jay nodded wordlessly and Cisco opened the breach to Earth 3.

"You keep that up," he spoke to all three of them, an easy smile tugging at his lips. "And you'll be heroes before you know it."

Jay gave one last tip of his winged helmet, before disappearing into the swirling mass of blue. The breach closed behind him and the roof settled into a peaceful silence. Caitlin looked at Barry, silently assessing if he was alright. He simply stared at the spot Jay had just been, wearing look of sadness, yet acceptance.

Cisco huffed out an exhausted breath, taking off his glasses. He then made his way to one of the exposed edges of the roof and plopped down. Barry followed suit, taking only a moment warily regard the drop below. Caitlin was the last to join, taking a seat between them.

The storm clouds were gone, leaving only open and clear sky. The sun was beginning to rise a well, the stars slowly fading into hues of peach and blue. Caitlin exhaled slowly, feeling strangely at peace.

"Now what," Barry spoke to no one in particular. "Where do we go from here?"

"To sleep," Cisco answered, letting out yawn.

"I mean after that," Barry correctly, amused.

"I gotta get a job," Caitlin quipped lightly, producing a slight chuckle from Barry.

"What are going to do?" Caitlin asked quietly, meeting his emerald gaze.

Barry sighed thoughtfully, "I don't know, try to adjust I guess. Maybe help some people along the way."

"Whatever I do, I wanna keep doing the right thing," he added quietly, an unreadably look on his features.

"I do too," Caitlin smiled softly, a hope and resolution in her heart.

There was silence for a beat, the only sound behind the distant rush of early morning traffic.

"And you?" Caitlin inquired, turning her head to face Cisco. "Off to another Earth?"

"No," Cisco let out a quiet scoff, running his hand over the back of his neck. "No, I can't. I can't just run. I have to stay and help."

"Like it or not, Zoom was the only thing keeping the organized crime in this city in check," he added, his tone low. "Once the other meta's figure out he's gone, it's gonna he chaos. A mad rush for territory. I gotta stay and face that."

"As Reverb?" Caitlin replied, absently swinging her legs back forth.

"Nah, Reverb died," he stated, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "I'll be Vibe."

"It's catchy," Barry admitted, leaning forward slightly to look at him.

"Thanks," Cisco smirked, "it feels right."

"If you'll have me," Caitlin began, slowly and carefully, "I'd like to help," she spoke with a sincere look in her eyes.

Cisco thought it over for a moments before coming to a decision, "Welcoming aboard, Elsa."

"That's gonna get old, fast," she laughed quietly, shaking her head.

"You know," Barry began after taking a moment to think, "if you guys are interested, I might know a good place you could set up shop," he offered.

"I am not working from your basement," Cisco said, his tone teasing.

"Haha," Barry muttered, rolling his eyes. "I'm serious."

"Okay," Cisco agreed, "but after sleep."

"After sleep," Barry echoed.

"No," Caitlin cut in, rising to a standing position, "after the infirmary. We need to clean up that gash." She gestured to the dried blood on his forehead.

"But," Cisco spoke in exasperation.

"No buts," Caitlin cut him off, "you too," she turned to Barry, taking his hand and helping him to his feet. "I wanna make sure you don't have any injuries."

Cisco let out another dramatic sigh before getting up as well. Together the three of them set out in search of the infirmary.

As the sun slowly rose, a new era dawned on Central City. One without Zoom. There was a time when no one stood up against the villains, when no one fought for what was right.

 _That time was no more._


End file.
